I haven't heard much about any Covid protocols the NBA has put in place. How the players, and coaches will be protected when traveling seems almost inevitable that a player will test positive. What are the chances that he won't infect several of his teammates? In that situation, games will probably be cancelled and the question becomes will those games be made up in an already shortened season when all 30 teams will be playing 14 back-to-backs? has the NBA posted any contingencies for this kind of situation?
Vaccines are going to begin distribution by the middle of December. I’d be less than surprised if the NBA finds a way to get guys vaccinated PDQ.
the backlash from HCPs and the general public would be tremendous if players got the first few batches instead of people who need it more. Even if it's just the 450 players and another 1000 staff or so, the PR hit would be massive. think it will be until playoff time before any vaccine gets distributed amongst the NBA.
Maybe not the first few batches, but relatively soon? We’re probably talking less than 1,000 vaccinations with players, coaches & traveling staff. I’m just speculating, but there’s a ton of money on the line so it wouldn’t surprise me. There was some initial complaining about the bubble testing at a time when tests were in short supply, and the NBA sold it with some PR about providing funding for community testing, IIRC.
I haven't seen anything official. Even if they don't get the vaccine, there are now treatments that the players would get for sure. I honestly don't think it's dangerous for the players to play, as long as they bubble up as much as possible on the road as well as at home.
Players from other sports are being tested and if positive quarantined, the NBA is the most liberal and media aware league, there is no way players who are positive are playing and just knowingly infecting other players. Also this isn't a bubble and this is a reason why I think it's irresponsible for all of these sports especially with huge teams like the NFL and MLB to play. These guys are in close quarters with each other or playing with contact, they are being infected with the virus and then very likely going out into the public or interacting with people in their personal bubble who go out into public and infecting others. Masks are a mitigating tool, they don't stop the virus from transmitting they just limit the transmission. There will be protocols announced soon, there will be players who have positive tests and they will miss games. Also they will likely spread the virus to people in the public. I'm happy to be watching sports because they're on so why not but I do not think we should be having them right now but that discussion probably belongs in the OT forum. The rest of this is specific to this thread.
The NBA players will be tested as well, and will not be playing games while knowingly infected. I understand it's not a bubble, but they could rent a whole hotel or apartment building in each city for players to stay in. And if a player does become infected, there are now very effective treatments. They will obviously receive the best care. I'm ok with this. It gives people something to care about.
I saw that to me the problem is the NBA isn't football that has one scheduled game a week. A postponement/cancellation in football due to positive tests and contact quarantine could leave one or two games to make up the same problem for an NBA team could leave 8-10 games to make up. That's far too many I guess it will be like the bubble in that seeding will be based upon winning percentages, but the tie-breakers could be a mess
I'm such a deranged sports dipshit that I'd be willing to delay getting a vaccine & isolate for another month if it meant I could watch healthy basketball players play more games. I'd never say that to my wife though, but that's just another thing that goes on the endless list of things I wouldn't say to my wife
They said they're going to release the schedule in two parts to allow for flexibility in scheduling. Players will likely get vaccinated at some point in the season.
We might see the NBA play series like in the MLB where a team comes to town an we play all our home games schedule against them back to back then go to their city and play. Without concerts and other events getting in the way the NBA has more flexibility in their scheduling. We might also see teams scheduled to play teams near each other when on trips rather than say playing in New York then flying to Phoenix, then OKC or something, we would play New York, Brooklyn, Boston...to cut down on traveling.
